Our Present Troubles

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." II Corinthians 4

 

"Ouch!", that little barb stuck deep. I could see my careless words had, once again, landed with an unintended sting. Back to the way too familiar doghouse I go. Trouble. "That can't be right.", I say to myself. I know we made a few additional purchases and ran into a few medical bills, but "Whoa!" Trouble. "Don't do it! Don't do it!", I'm yelling at myself in my own head. Everything in me wants to return fire as Jesus' words echo in my ears, "Turn the other cheek." Trouble. 


Paul (and Jesus for that matter) never undersold the reality of troubles in this life. "All kinds", Jesus said. In this chapter, Paul uses words like pressed, persecuted, and pushed down. He tells us that those who choose to follow Jesus will share in his suffering and his death. He then reminds this church and us that Jesus followers will also share in his life and his resurrection. Troubles are temporary. The glory they produce is eternal. So, it's time, he says, to adjust our focus.


Troubles are noisy and loud. They sit like elephants blocking the paths of our lives. We see them. We feel them. We even cause them! Paul walked into them, felt them and praised God in the midst of them. Beatings, betrayals, false imprisonment, slander, illness, isolation, rejection, poverty, etc. were just a few of the troubles that he was well acquainted with in his life. None of them derailed his faith. Which is bigger in the landscape of your soul's vision today - the present troubles of life or the future glory yet to be revealed?   

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